Daughter of the Masked Legend
by Allanna Stone
Summary: This is Rosalinda's story of how she becomes her father's secret shadow...
1. Chapter 1

**Daughter of the Masked Legend**

**I do not own Zorro.**

**SUMMERY:**

**This is Rosalinda story of how she becomes her father's seret shadow...**

Rosalinda sighed nervously as she played with her locket. It had belonged to his biological mother, who she knew close to nothing about. She straightened her shoulders as her adopted father winked at her. She smiled as the boat came up to the shore of California.

Rosalinda scrambled out of the boat and inhaled deeply, taking in the salty ocean air and the feel of the sand squishing between her toes. She flung out her arms and spun around a few times, giggling as her hair sprung free of their hair pins.

"Rosalinda!" scolded her father in a playful tone of voice.

"Yes, papa?" the girl asked him innocently, turning to face her only parent, who just shook his head at his adopted daughter's youthfulness.

"Come along now, Rosalinda. We have much to do before tonight," called out the man, holding out a hand for his seventeen year old daughter to take. Rosalinda skipped over to meet her father, slipping her tiny hand into his, noticing again how much his darwfed hers.

"How do we get to our home, Papa?" she asked him in an innocent voice as they walked along the shore of California. A loud winny answered her question as a beautiful black mare trotted up to her, butting her chest with its head. "Hello beautiful," crooned Rosalinda gently, rubbing its forelocks. She slowly made her way over to the horse's left side, where she found to her joy, a new leather riding saddle.

"By horse, my dear daughter," answered the governor fondly as he watched his only child swing herself up onto the back of the mare with a certain grace and agility that made him smile.

"Are you coming, papa?" called Rosalinda as she trotted her new pet around in a few circles.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" chuckled the governor, hoisting himself up into his saddle.

At that moment, a guard accidenly dropped her gun, causing for it to go off. The sudden noise made Rosalinda and the governor's horses rear up in fright. The governor was tossed from his steed while Rosalinda managed to hold onto her mare with her hands and legs. Then, the horse took off.

Rosalinda suddenly forgot what to do if one found themselves on a runaway horse. So she just held on and prayed to the Virgin Mary that she would not get hurt, or worse yet, killed.

She soon lost track of the time and managed to slow her horse to a canter, then a slow trot. She looked around her in wonder as she entered a small village market place. There were children running everywhere, getting underfoot and nosing through stall goods. There were women in exotically bright fabrics looking after their wares with wicked looking spoons that they would use to slap theives' hands with. There were men with animals and wagons, suppiling food and drinks and wares for those who would look.

Rosalinda's senses were soon flooded with the smells, the sights and the sounds. She quickly dismounted her horse and began to walk about, entranced by the small village. Everywhere she went, people smiled and nodded at her, greeting her in Spanish. She only caught a few words here and there, but from what she could tell, everyone was welcoming her to their small, but humble village.

Rosalinda looped her mare's reins around her wrist as she examined a beautiful fan that was made of embroidered silk. She turned tp ask the stallowner how much it was.

"For you, a gift," insisted the stallowner with a smile.

"Oh, but I couldn't!" prostested Rosalinda.

"I won't execpt no for an answer, young one," the woman said firmly.

And that was that. At each stall that Rosalinda visited, she was presented with something- combs for her hair, bread for her to eat, cider for her to taste, a shall for her to keep warm under...

Finally, Rosalinda had to tell these wonderful people that she didn't have any more room for gifts. However, Rosalinda did accept a pendant for a girl around her age.

"You look like your mother," a stallowner told her with a beaming smile.

Rosalinda was shocked.

"You know my mother?" she asked her, her voice trembling with excitment.

The woman only smiled before turning back to her stall.


	2. Chapter 2

**Daughter of the Masked Legend**

**I do not own Zorro.**

**SUMMERY:**

**This is Rosalinda story of how she becomes her father's seret shadow...**

**A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS:**

**When I posted chapter one, I personally thought that it was a bit fast paced. But the bunnies who supply me with ideas have been eaten by my dog (who is a pit bull/ mastiff). Oh well. I guess that means that I get NEW BUNNIES FROM MY READERS!**

Alejandro de La Vega smiled as he greeted his horse, Toronado, who whickered and prance proudly before his master. When he opened the stall door, the horse bolted through and out of the stable.

"Toronado!" shouted Alejandro, irriated as he ran after his horse.

"Aliyana! Easy girl!" cried a beautifully faminine voice right before a shouted warning.

Alejandro rounded the corner just in time to see a young girl get tossed from her horse. She landed funny on her shoulder and blacked out.

"Elana!" roared Alejandro, running over to where the girl landed. He ignored the two horses, who were busy flirting with one another. Out of the grand estate ran his wife and a servant. "I think her shoulder's broken," he said as the servant checked her over.

"It's broken, alright," muttered the servant grimly. "We've best take her inside and make her comfortable."

Without another word, Alejandro scooped the young girl up into his arms and rushed into the house.

~oOo~

Rosalinda slowly came to, blinking the darkness away from her eyes. She tried to sit up but whimpered as a sudden pain rammed into her left shoulder. Finally, she sat up and looked about her with wonder.

She was in a richly decorated room; the walls were a light shade of turquiose, the floor was of maple wood and the furniture was oak with a fine finish. The curtains were of a deep blue velvet, there was a desk in a corner of the room with paper, pens and book and a door that led off to the rest of the house was opened just a crack.

Suddenly, the door opened to show a motherly looking woman smiling at Rosalinda.

"Oh, thanks goodness that you're awake. My husband was begining to worry," she smiled at Rosalinda before sitting on the bed. "My name is Elena da La Vega, dear."

"Rosalinda," she offered shyly. It didn't take a fool to see that these people were wealthy. And whenever Rosalinda was around wealthy people (apart from her father) she made a fool out of herself.

"What a beautiful name," murmured Elena witha far off look to her eyes. Suddenly, Rosalinda's stomach whined; it wanted food!

Rosalinda blushed a deep scarlette that only added to her beauty, and making Elena chuckle.

"I'll go inform the cook that you're hungry," she smiled before leaving the girl.

"Wait!" Elena stopped, turning to look at Rosalinda. "Could you please send someone to tell my papa that I am alright?"

"Of course. Who is he?" asked Elena.

"He is the new governor of Calofornia," answer Rosalinda with a hint of pride in her voice.


	3. Chapter 3

**Daughter of the Masked Legend**

**I do not own Zorro.**

**SUMMERY:**

**This is Rosalinda story of how she becomes her father's secret shadow...**

**A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS:**

**This fanfic takes place after The Legend of Zorro starring ****Antonio Banderas and Catherina Zeta-Jones.**

Alejandro de La Vega sighed heavily as his wife told him who the girl in their guest room was.

"Alejandro, I have an idea," Elena suggusted. "What if Zorro went and delivered the message to the governor himself?" There was a wicked glint to her eyes.

"I'll go and get dressed," smiled Alejandro.

~oOo~

"Oh, where is she?" fretted the governor, pacing back and forth in his study. "I know that she is a skilled enought rider to have not come to any harm, but what if-"

"Your daughter is fine, señor."

The governor yelped and toppled over in fright. There, standing at the window, was a man dressed entirely in black with a wicked foil hanging at his side.

"Who are you?" gasped the governor in fright.

"My name is Zorro," answered he, looking at the governor with an eye of calculation.

"You mentioned Rosalinda. Is she in no danger?" asked the governor, slowly standing up.

"She is at the de La Vega's residence, recovering from a broken shoulder," answered Zorro, his voice hinting at something else.

"A broken shoulder? Oh dear heavens!" cried the governor in horror. "I must go and see her at once!" Just as he was leaving the room, he called over his shoulder, "Thank you, señor!"

But Zorro was gone.

~oOo~

"How long will it be before I can play the piano again, señorita?" Rosalinda asked Elena who was helping the girl brush her hair.

"It's hard to say," answered Elena with a smile. For the past three hours, the two women had grown to be close.

Suddenly, a servant appeared at the door and cleared his throat softly.

"Señorita, the governor is here to see his daughter," he anounced before leaving them. A few moments later, the governor entered the room.

"Papa!" squealed Rosalinda happily, holding out her good arm for him to hug her, which he did do, upon orders with a chuckle.  
"Rosalinda," he murmured. He turned to Elena. "How can I ever hope to repay you for your kindness?"  
Elena smiled sadly. "What I want, can't be given."

"Name it," said the governor with a smile.

"My daughter was kidnapped when she was just a newborn. My husband and I had long since given up hope that she would ever be found alive."

The governor smiled sadly. "I am truely sorry for your loss."

"Rosalinda, seeing as how you're in no condition to be moved anytime soon, I was hoping that your father would allow for you to stay until you've healed completly?" asked Elena gently.

"Oh but of course. Anything to ensure that my little pequeña belleza is at her best," answered the governor with a nod and a smile. "Is there anything that you would like for me to bring for you, Rosalinda?"

"Um..." Rosalinda thought for a moment before shifting to find a better seat, in the proccess, causing for her locket to swing loose from her blouse. She caught it before it could become entangled in her long corkscrew curls, but Elena saw it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Daughter of the Masked Legend**

**I do not own Zorro.**

**SUMMERY:**

**This is Rosalinda's story of how she becomes her father's secret shadow...**

**A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS:**

**This fanfic takes place after The Legend of Zorro starring ****Antonio Banderas and Catherina Zeta-Jones.**

After the governor left, Elena turned to Rosalinda. "Might I see your locket, please?" she asked, her heart pounding in her chest. Rosalinda hesitated before reaching inside of her blouse and freeing the pendant from her neck. She handed it over to Elena and watched as she opened the locket, tears springing up as she flipped open the catch with her thumbnail. "Could you excuse me, please?" she choaked before rushing out of the room.

Rosalinda just stared after her before sitting back in her bed and shutting her eyes for a nap.

~oOo~

"It's her, Alejandro!" cried Elena, showing her husband the locket. He gasped and snatched it from his wife's hands and sat down heavily onto a chair.

"Oh sweet Jesus," he murmured, bringing the locket up to his face and opening it. To his shock, he saw that the drawings of himself and his wife were still intact.

"You have to tell her," whispered Elena, sitting next to her husband and wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"Me? Why me?" whined Alejandro.

"Because she was always a daddy's girl," explained Elena as calmly as she could without bursting into tears. "Besides, she might respond better to you than if I told her."

The couple argued for a few more minutes before Alejandro gave in.

"Alright, I'll tell her," he grumbled, standing and stalking up the stairs.

~oOo~

Rosalinda was laying down, bored out of her skull and trying not to do something that would cause her further pain.

A knock sounded at the door suddenly, making her sit up and wince with the effort that went along with doing the simple task.

"Enter!" she called out, sitting back against the headboard. Enter a truley handsome man with jet black curls, little whiskers on his chin and above his lips, and an air of athority surrounding him.

He froze when he saw Rosalinda. She was a stunning seventeen year old girl with black corkscrew curls that flowed to her waist and hauntingly huge sapphire blue eyes. From what he could tell, she was petite, standing just south of five feet with a curvy, slender build.

He was brought out of his daze by her voice.

"Can I help you with something señor?" she asked delicatly, trilling her R's delicatly. She spoke with a slight Spanish accent, which only added onto her beauty.

"I came to see if there was anything that you needed, señorita," he answered her, thinking on his feet.

"Could you perhaps bring me a book?" Rosalinda asked shyly.

"Is there a prefrence that you have in mid, little señorita?" asked Alejandro, interested in what her pick would be.

"I enjoy _Jane Eyre_ by Charlotte Bronte, _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland_ and _Through the Looking Glass_ both by Lewis Carroll, and _The Hunchback of Notre Dame_ by Victor Hugo, if you have them, señor," listed Rosalinda, smiling as she remembered reading these books. "And I also enjoy reading fairy tales, especally La _colección de__Cuentos__para Niños__Fiary_."

"Why that book?"

"Becasue, _La__colección de__Cuentos__para Niños__Fiary_ is the one thing that I remember of my biological parents," answered Rosalinda.


End file.
